Recently, DSLR cameras have become the most popular models for astronomical photography. Intended for serious amateur photographers and all types of shooting, DSLRs have several key features that make them particularly desirable for nighttime photography. First and most important, their large sensors offer much lower noise and cleaner images than do compact point-and-shoot digital cameras, especially at ISO 400 and higher. DSLRs feature interchangeable lenses— or direct attachment to a telescope’s focuser —making them by far the most versatile cameras for all forms of astrophotography, from panoramas with wide-angle lenses to deep-sky close-ups through a telescope. Alan Dyer from SkyNews compared the three commonly available DSLRs in the market today for astronomical photography - the Canon Digital Rebel XTi (400D), Nikon D80, and Pentax K10D. Here’s the conclusion:
“At the end of the testing, Canon emerged victorious. Its low noise and lack of other artifacts make it the most suitable for long exposures. Nevertheless, the Nikon and Pentax put up a good fight. Both produce fine results at ISO 400 and 800 settings if exposures are kept short. If you’re looking for a camera that’s compatible with existing hardware and planning to use it for only casual short-exposure astrophotography, the Pentax K10D and Nikon D80 will work very well.
But for someone serious about deepsky imaging through a telescope, where, for the best results, exposures should last several minutes, the Canon Digital Rebel XTi is the best choice of the trio. There are better cameras for astrophotography, but not at this price. As of early 2007, this is the lowest-cost Canon DSLR and has a higher megapixel rating than some of the more costly models.
How important is the higher pixel count? Surprisingly, in this case, the jump from 8 to 10 megapixels barely makes a difference. In same-object, same-night comparison shots with an 8-megapixel Canon 20Da, the Rebel XTi’s extra two megapixels produced virtually no noticeable advantage. Far more important is the camera’s excellent balance between low noise and high sensitivity to lowlight subjects in long exposures. This is now, and will remain for some time to come, the main battleground for future DSLR cameras competing for the astronomical crown.”
Website : Best DSLR for Astrophotography: Canon 400D, Nikon D80 or Pentax K10D
